Alzheimer's takes a toll on patients and caregivers

Paula Cooper, right, works a full-time job at Palmetto Bodyworks and then comes home to take care of her mother, Claudia Cooper, who has Alzheimer's. She has been caring for her mother for the past
eight years. Her niece, Sarah Paradowski, 22, was attending college in Texas, when she put school on hold to help care for her grandmother.

ALEX C. HICKS JR./HALIFAX MEDIA GROUP

By DUSTIN WYATTHalifax Media Group

Published: Wednesday, July 3, 2013 at 10:48 a.m.

Last Modified: Wednesday, July 3, 2013 at 10:48 a.m.

Caring for caregivers

SPARTANBURG, S.C.-- It was one of Claudia Cooper's “good days.”

The 77-year-old sat on a bench, facing a large pond. She smiled and laughed often as she watched her daughter, Paula Cooper, and granddaughter, Sarah Paradowski, feed ducks.

“I love the outdoors,” Claudia said, as birds chirped overhead. Her white hair seemed to glow in the morning sun.

She sometimes thinks her daughter and granddaughter are just guests in the house. But she will look out the dining room window, see a neighbor and instantly say the neighbor's name.

On these mornings, “She knows her neighbors but doesn't even know her own family,” Paula Cooper said.

On this recent Wednesday morning, as Claudia Cooper sat beneath the shade of tall pines at Duncan Park, she was happy to share stories about what it was like to grow up in Texas and mentioned how much she enjoys time spent with her daughter.

“This is one of the good days,” Paula Cooper said with a smile.

Paula Cooper works a full-time job as a massage therapist at Palmetto Bodyworks, but her primary responsibility — something she's done every day for the past eight years — is take care of her mother, who has Alzheimer's.

The reason she does it: “It's about family,” she said.

Paula Cooper brings her mother to Duncan Park about once a week — it's a way to get out of the house, she said. It's a way for everyone to take a break and relax, she said.

She also, on occasion, has a professional come into her home to stay with her mother for a few hours while she and her niece step out for a bit and get dinner or enjoy some alone time.

Breaks like these are necessary for caregivers.

“Schedule days where you can take a break,” Paula Cooper advised other caregivers. “Find time to do things that bring you pleasure.”

Caregivers face a myriad of emotions and challenges that can lead to depression and burnout, such as frustration, anger, guilt, grief. They can also experience insomnia, anxiety, physical decline, financial burdens and relationship issues, doctors say.

“All these issues come together and form like a perfect storm,” said Karen Nichols, program director for Mary Black Memorial Hospital's geriatric psychiatry services. She often educates members of the community about the disease through a course called Alzheimer's and You.

“One of the most important things a caregiver can do is recognize when they are burning out and recognize when they need a time out or a break, and not feel guilty about reaching out for help,” she said.

But to whom do caregivers reach out when they need a break?

Sometimes, it's as simple as other family members coming in to help out.

That's what Paradowski, 22, did. She was attending a small community college in Texas a few years ago. When she heard her grandmother was sick with Alzheimer's, she decided to put her education on hold.

She moved to Spartanburg to help out and stays with Claudia during the day while Paula works.

“I was raised to help take care of family whenever they need it,” Paradowski said. “I did it for both” my grandmother and aunt.

Paula Cooper said she's not sure she could do what she does every day without her niece's help.

“Words can't express how happy I am that she came back to help. And we have gotten closer during this time,” she said.

Senior day care

Wanda Harper, of Boiling Springs, S.C., uses a senior day care service to get breaks.

She has been taking care of her mother for six years. Through a friend, she found out about the Daybridge Program, a new non-residential memory day care program at Windsor House Retirement Community in Spartanburg.

Here, the senior adults sit around tables and reminisce about their past. They smile as they share stories, laugh and speak about loved ones and religion.

On a recent Wednesday, Alice Smith, Daybridge coordinator/memory care activity director, called out “B6” from the corner of the room.

With Bingo cards fanned out in front of them on tables, the women placed red tokens over the appropriate space.

“Bingo,” yelled one woman.

Then she picked out a prize for winning. She chose a pair of comfortable socks.

The Daybridge Program, like many other similar programs in Spartanburg County, is designed for people who have Alzheimer's or dementia. It's also designed as a way to give caregivers, such as Harper, a break.

“It's been a great benefit for me and my mother,” she said. “Getting that free time helps out a lot. It helps you out mentally. And they are safe, so you don't have to worry about her while she is there.”

The program offers interactive activities throughout the day, such as cooking, devotionals, games, etc.

“I love this,” Smith said, “We have to offer new programs like this. (Senior adults) deserve some dignity and a place to go. And it's good to give caregivers a break. And we are here to help them.” Programs like these might not be for everyone.

It's too expensive for many caregivers — one of the challenges middleto- lower-income families face, said Joyce Finkle, Spartanburg area program director with the Alzheimer's Associatio.

“But if you can make it work, programs like this can make a big difference, and it sure helps the family members,” she said.

Community help

Sometimes, caregivers need to turn to the community around them for help.

Dr. Vonda Gravely, chairwoman of the department of psychiatry at Spartanburg Regional Healthcare System and co-medical director of geriatric psychiatry, says caregivers should reach out to their clergy, physicians, trained counselors and local agencies for support.

Organizations such as the Alzheimer's Association and the local branch of the AARP work to point caregivers in the right direction when they call.

“There are definitely options caregivers can seek out if they need encouragement, support, help or just some time off,” Finkle said.

She points caregivers to one of the many agencies involved in the S.C. Respite Care Program. The Alzheimer's Association works with licensed and bonded agencies that honor or “accept” a voucher. The agency accepts the voucher instead of money, and the Alzheimer's Association pays for services provided.

The services are provided to the caregiver free of charge.

“If a caregiver,” Nichols said, “wants to go to a support group or take a break, someone from the respite program can come in and give them time off.”

More than 16,000 people are caring for loved ones with dementia or Alzheimer's in Spartanburg County, the Spartanburg Alzheimer's Association estimates. As the aging population continues to grow, the same can be said about the number of Alzheimer's cases and the number of caregivers.

More than 80,000 South Carolinians are living with Alzheimer's disease or dementia, with a new person developing the disease every 68 seconds, according to the Alzheimer's Association's website.

The problem, Finkle said, is that there are not enough options available to meet the demands of everyone who needs help.

But what if churches got involved? Or other community organizations?

That's what Nancy Eaker, president of Spartanburg's AARP chapter, is hoping to make happen as part of a major campaign by the AARP and the Ad Council to raise awareness of the impact of family caregiving and to point overwhelmed families toward resources that might ease the strain.

Eaker wants to present a “Roadmap to Senior Care” to area churches and community centers, nursing homes and as many other organizations as possible.

Caregiver support groups are scattered throughout the Upstate, but they face many obstacles.

In the past, caregiver support groups sponsored by the AARP have received such a large turnout that they were unable to function properly, Eaker said. The purpose of a support group is to give caregivers social interaction, and allow them to exchange ideas and resources with each other.

But, Eaker said, when a lot of people are present, they are hesitant to talk with one another. “People would not share their experience in a crowd,” she said. “In a smaller setting, people are more comfortable.” And they are even more comfortable when they are around people they know.

That's why it's important for churches to offer these support groups.

In October 2012, the Alzheimer's Association hosted a meeting where church clergy were taught about the disease and how it affects and often tears apart families, but most importantly, what the church can do to make that road a little easier.

“We have to all work together,” Finkle said at the time. “There are things a church can do to make that journey with Alzheimer's a lot easier.”

If a church calls the AARP and expresses interest in starting a support group, the AARP will send in professionals and offer programs for the church, Eaker said. People within the churches can come together and share ideas and resources and help each other.

<p>Caring for caregivers</p><p>SPARTANBURG, S.C.-- It was one of Claudia Cooper's “good days.”</p><p>The 77-year-old sat on a bench, facing a large pond. She smiled and laughed often as she watched her daughter, Paula Cooper, and granddaughter, Sarah Paradowski, feed ducks.</p><p>“I love the outdoors,” Claudia said, as birds chirped overhead. Her white hair seemed to glow in the morning sun.</p><p>Paula Cooper describes mornings when her mother doesn't even recognize her.</p><p>She sometimes thinks her daughter and granddaughter are just guests in the house. But she will look out the dining room window, see a neighbor and instantly say the neighbor's name.</p><p>On these mornings, “She knows her neighbors but doesn't even know her own family,” Paula Cooper said.</p><p>On this recent Wednesday morning, as Claudia Cooper sat beneath the shade of tall pines at Duncan Park, she was happy to share stories about what it was like to grow up in Texas and mentioned how much she enjoys time spent with her daughter.</p><p>“This is one of the good days,” Paula Cooper said with a smile.</p><p>Paula Cooper works a full-time job as a massage therapist at Palmetto Bodyworks, but her primary responsibility — something she's done every day for the past eight years — is take care of her mother, who has Alzheimer's.</p><p>The reason she does it: “It's about family,” she said.</p><p>Paula Cooper brings her mother to Duncan Park about once a week — it's a way to get out of the house, she said. It's a way for everyone to take a break and relax, she said.</p><p>She also, on occasion, has a professional come into her home to stay with her mother for a few hours while she and her niece step out for a bit and get dinner or enjoy some alone time.</p><p>Breaks like these are necessary for caregivers.</p><p>“Schedule days where you can take a break,” Paula Cooper advised other caregivers. “Find time to do things that bring you pleasure.”</p><p>Caregivers face a myriad of emotions and challenges that can lead to depression and burnout, such as frustration, anger, guilt, grief. They can also experience insomnia, anxiety, physical decline, financial burdens and relationship issues, doctors say.</p><p>“All these issues come together and form like a perfect storm,” said Karen Nichols, program director for Mary Black Memorial Hospital's geriatric psychiatry services. She often educates members of the community about the disease through a course called Alzheimer's and You.</p><p>“One of the most important things a caregiver can do is recognize when they are burning out and recognize when they need a time out or a break, and not feel guilty about reaching out for help,” she said.</p><p>But to whom do caregivers reach out when they need a break?</p><p>Sometimes, it's as simple as other family members coming in to help out.</p><p>That's what Paradowski, 22, did. She was attending a small community college in Texas a few years ago. When she heard her grandmother was sick with Alzheimer's, she decided to put her education on hold.</p><p>She moved to Spartanburg to help out and stays with Claudia during the day while Paula works.</p><p>“I was raised to help take care of family whenever they need it,” Paradowski said. “I did it for both” my grandmother and aunt.</p><p>Paula Cooper said she's not sure she could do what she does every day without her niece's help.</p><p>“Words can't express how happy I am that she came back to help. And we have gotten closer during this time,” she said.</p><p>Senior day care</p><p>Wanda Harper, of Boiling Springs, S.C., uses a senior day care service to get breaks.</p><p>She has been taking care of her mother for six years. Through a friend, she found out about the Daybridge Program, a new non-residential memory day care program at Windsor House Retirement Community in Spartanburg.</p><p>Here, the senior adults sit around tables and reminisce about their past. They smile as they share stories, laugh and speak about loved ones and religion.</p><p>On a recent Wednesday, Alice Smith, Daybridge coordinator/memory care activity director, called out “B6” from the corner of the room.</p><p>With Bingo cards fanned out in front of them on tables, the women placed red tokens over the appropriate space.</p><p>“Bingo,” yelled one woman.</p><p>Then she picked out a prize for winning. She chose a pair of comfortable socks.</p><p>The Daybridge Program, like many other similar programs in Spartanburg County, is designed for people who have Alzheimer's or dementia. It's also designed as a way to give caregivers, such as Harper, a break.</p><p>“It's been a great benefit for me and my mother,” she said. “Getting that free time helps out a lot. It helps you out mentally. And they are safe, so you don't have to worry about her while she is there.”</p><p>The program offers interactive activities throughout the day, such as cooking, devotionals, games, etc.</p><p>“I love this,” Smith said, “We have to offer new programs like this. (Senior adults) deserve some dignity and a place to go. And it's good to give caregivers a break. And we are here to help them.” Programs like these might not be for everyone.</p><p>It's too expensive for many caregivers — one of the challenges middleto- lower-income families face, said Joyce Finkle, Spartanburg area program director with the Alzheimer's Associatio.</p><p>“But if you can make it work, programs like this can make a big difference, and it sure helps the family members,” she said.</p><p>Community help</p><p>Sometimes, caregivers need to turn to the community around them for help.</p><p>Dr. Vonda Gravely, chairwoman of the department of psychiatry at Spartanburg Regional Healthcare System and co-medical director of geriatric psychiatry, says caregivers should reach out to their clergy, physicians, trained counselors and local agencies for support.</p><p>Organizations such as the Alzheimer's Association and the local branch of the AARP work to point caregivers in the right direction when they call.</p><p>“There are definitely options caregivers can seek out if they need encouragement, support, help or just some time off,” Finkle said.</p><p>She points caregivers to one of the many agencies involved in the S.C. Respite Care Program. The Alzheimer's Association works with licensed and bonded agencies that honor or “accept” a voucher. The agency accepts the voucher instead of money, and the Alzheimer's Association pays for services provided.</p><p>The services are provided to the caregiver free of charge.</p><p>“If a caregiver,” Nichols said, “wants to go to a support group or take a break, someone from the respite program can come in and give them time off.”</p><p>More than 16,000 people are caring for loved ones with dementia or Alzheimer's in Spartanburg County, the Spartanburg Alzheimer's Association estimates. As the aging population continues to grow, the same can be said about the number of Alzheimer's cases and the number of caregivers.</p><p>More than 80,000 South Carolinians are living with Alzheimer's disease or dementia, with a new person developing the disease every 68 seconds, according to the Alzheimer's Association's website.</p><p>The problem, Finkle said, is that there are not enough options available to meet the demands of everyone who needs help.</p><p>But what if churches got involved? Or other community organizations?</p><p>That's what Nancy Eaker, president of Spartanburg's AARP chapter, is hoping to make happen as part of a major campaign by the AARP and the Ad Council to raise awareness of the impact of family caregiving and to point overwhelmed families toward resources that might ease the strain.</p><p>Eaker wants to present a “Roadmap to Senior Care” to area churches and community centers, nursing homes and as many other organizations as possible.</p><p>Caregiver support groups are scattered throughout the Upstate, but they face many obstacles.</p><p>In the past, caregiver support groups sponsored by the AARP have received such a large turnout that they were unable to function properly, Eaker said. The purpose of a support group is to give caregivers social interaction, and allow them to exchange ideas and resources with each other.</p><p>But, Eaker said, when a lot of people are present, they are hesitant to talk with one another. “People would not share their experience in a crowd,” she said. “In a smaller setting, people are more comfortable.” And they are even more comfortable when they are around people they know.</p><p>That's why it's important for churches to offer these support groups.</p><p>In October 2012, the Alzheimer's Association hosted a meeting where church clergy were taught about the disease and how it affects and often tears apart families, but most importantly, what the church can do to make that road a little easier.</p><p>“We have to all work together,” Finkle said at the time. “There are things a church can do to make that journey with Alzheimer's a lot easier.”</p><p>If a church calls the AARP and expresses interest in starting a support group, the AARP will send in professionals and offer programs for the church, Eaker said. People within the churches can come together and share ideas and resources and help each other.</p>